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Reading at Waldorf: building a love of literature that is lifelong

Grade one: Fairytales and Folktales, the world of rich imagery and language.
Multicultural fairy tales, folk tales and nature stories full of vivid imagery, collective archetypes and rich vocabulary establish the foundation for the grade one curriculum. The archetypal images and themes found in fairy tales engage the children’s imagination and nurture a relationship with the world of language. Pictorial thinking is cultivated in the children by actively listening to a story, consciously remembering the images and characters, and creating visual representations from the story. Language arts lessons focused on identifying and reproducing alphabetic symbols, recognizing alphabetic sounds and recalling images from the story. Daily recall exercises and activities were explored to support visual picturing, visual memory, sequencing, imagination and overall comprehension. Attention was brought to the proper sequencing of events and character development. Children are given the opportunity to recall the story in a visual, auditory or kinesthetic manner through individual or collective activities. Speaking and listening skills are encouraged through peer dialogue, dramatization and choral recitation of poems, verses, and seasonal songs. Clear pronunciation and accurate speech formation are emphasized. An aural awareness of grammar and vocabulary development are cultivated through listening to a wide variety of short stories, poems and multicultural fairy tales.